Thủ Dầu Một

Vietnamese

Etymology

A minority of researchers entertain the idea that at least some element of the name might derived from a Khmer word. However, others think that this is a Vietnamese phrase formed from two elements: Thủ (“to keep”), and Dầu Một, formed from a plant name (see dầu (“Dipterocarpus spp.”)) and the numeral "one".

According to folk etymology, because the military station guarding in Bình An district town was located on a hill with large Dipterocarpus trees (cây dầu), people once called it Thủ Dầu Miệt, in which Thủ (“to keep”), and miệt prefers to plantations (see miệt vườn).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [tʰu˧˩ zəw˨˩ mot̚˧˨ʔ]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [tʰʊw˧˨ jəw˦˩ mok̚˨˩ʔ]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [tʰʊw˨˩˦ jəw˨˩ mok̚˨˩˨]

Proper noun

Thủ Dầu Một

1. a city in Bình Dương province, Vietnam